Beverage display



June 3, 1930. H. P. SAUGMAN I BEVERAGE DISPLAY Filed Oct. 24, 1927 0 4 Aw a a m/ 0 i- 1? Z m mm m m JK 0F \\\\\\&m .0 a 4 4412271111 W. l 4 2 MM Wh. ,q 5 a 0 0 M 42 r 4 fl Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Application filed October 24, 1927.

This invention has to do with a beverage display and it is a generalobject of this invention to provide a device of this character suitablefor installation in stores, windows,

6 or other places, to advertise and/or attract attention to a productsuch as a beverage.

In advertising or calling the attention of the public to a beverage, orlike product, it

has been found desirable to employ some sort of moving display. It is,of course, desirable in the case of a beverage that the beverage itselfbe displayed so that an observer can see the product advertised. Displaydevices of the type in which the beverage itself is visible have beenused. However, such devices have generally had certain undesirablefeatures that have materially limited their commercial value, Forexample, most display devices of this type have been so constructed asto make them very difficult to clean and, therefore, in practice, theyare often neglected and allowed to become dirty and unattractive.Further, this class of display usually involves a transparent containeror receptacle holding the beverage so that solid particles, such asparticles of fruit, or the like, from which the beverage has beenprepared, are allowed to settle in a manner to accumulate at parts andthus materially .30 impair the attractiveness of the display.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a display device ofthe general type above referred to in whicha liquid, for instance, abeverage, is handled or circulated so that it is visible but is notdisplayed stationary in a container, or the like.

' It is another important object of this'invention to provide a liquidhandling display in which various parts are of simple con- 4 structionand are accessible so that they can be easily and thoroughly cleaned.

It is another object of my present invention to provide variousimprovements in the formation and arrangement of parts in a displaydevice of the character mentioned.

The various objects and features of the invention will be best and morefully understood from the following detailed description of a typicalform and application of the invention, throughout which description Ire- Serial No. 228,208.

fer to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an exterior view ofthe device provided by my invention, showing it mounted on counter;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, detailed, transverse, sectional view of thedevice taken as indicated by line 22 on Fig. 1;

i Fig. 3 is a vertical, detail, sectional view of the device, being aview taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional y iew, taken as indicated byline 44 on The device or apparatus provided by my invention includes,generally, a display unit 10, a base 11 for mounting the unit 10 on acounter, or the like, a fluid reservoir 12 to be mounted under thecounter or at any remote point, fluid circulating means 13 operable toreceive fluid at the reservoir and circulate it through the displayunit, and various other parts, the details and functions of which willbe hereinafter described.

The display unit 10 includes, generally, a dome-shaped body 14 around orover which liquid can flow, a top or hood 15 over the body, a bottom 16supporting the body and hood, a mounting member 17 mounting the bottom16, body 14 and hood 15 on the base 11, and illuminating means 18. Inaccordance with my invention, the body 14 and hood 15 are transparent,or substantially transparent, being preferred to form them of clearglass. In the preferred design, the body 14 is spherically curved ordome-shaped and the hood 15 is correspondingly shaped to fit over thebody with suitable clearness to leave a fluid passage A between the bodyand hood. Fluid is adapted to be discharged onto or over the body fromits upper end so that it will flow downwardly over or around the body tothe bottom 16. Suitable bafiles may be applied to the exterior of thebody 14 to direct or interrupt the flow of liquid over the body. In thedrawings, I have shown a bafiie flange 20 that may be formed spirally onthe exterior of the'body 14. When the body 14v and dome 15 are shapedand related,-as above described, the bottom 16 on which they are mountedmay be an annular member of sufliient diameter and width to form asupport for the lower ends of the body and hood. in practice, I maltsthe bottom 16 of metal and insert a washer 21 between the body and deedand the bottom 16. The mounting mem- "er 1? applied to the top of thebase 11 nd extends outwardly and upwardly from csupport the bottom 18.The memprovided at its upper end with a flange that extends upwardlyaround the bottom 16 and conceals the joint between the hoot. and bottom16. In practice, it is desirable to curve or shape the member 17 so thatit carries out more or less the general configuration of the hood andbody. The parts of the display unit above described are held inassembled relation through a single central means comprisin a centralpart or pipe 2% projecting upwardly from the base 11 through the member1?, bottom 16, body 14 and hood 15. A nut 25., or the like, may beapplied to the pipe 2 to clamp the member 17 to the top of the basewhile a nut 26 may be applied to the pipe 2 1 to engage the top of thebody 1 1 to clamp the body to the bottom 16. Further, a nut or cap isapplied to the up er end of the pipe 2% to close it and to clamp thehead 15 to the bottom 16. In practice, the cap 27 is prefers. lyprovided with an ornamental part 28 representing a fruit, or the like.

The illuminating means 18' provided in the unit 10 may comprise one ormore electric bulbs 29 mounted within the unit in a mannor to illum natethe body 1% and hood 'l in the draw l have shown a orachet carried bythe pipe 2; to support a plurality of electric bu'bs 29 so that they arewithin the unit and operate to effectively illuminate the body and hoodthereof. Electric ares 31 may extend upwardly through the base 11 andthrough the bottom of the member 17 to make the necessary connectionwith the bulbs 29.

The base 11 is provided primarily as a support for mounting the unit 10on a counter 32, or the like, and, in practice, may be a bellshapedsheet metal part. In the preferred form of'the invention, the base 11not only acts as a support for the unitbut also as a housing for certainparts of the fluid circulating r e s, as wil be hereinafter described.

The fluid reservoir 12 forms the liquid or beverage cortainer for theapparatus and is mounted or arranged at any suitable point, forinstance, below the counter 32, as shown in the drawings. In thepreferred arrangement, thereservoir arranged under the counter directlybelow the other parts of the apparatus. it is to be understood, ofcourse, that the reservoir 12 may be of any desired shape and capacity.1

The fluid circulatin means includes, generally, a pump 10, a motor ll orother suit able power means for operating -the pump,

a discharge pipe 24 extending from the pump through the base 11 andthrough the unit 10, as above described, to discharge into the top ofthe space A between the body 14 and hood 15, one or more outlet openings13 for conducting fluid from the bottom of the space A and a return pipe14 connected with the openings i3 and extending to the reservoir 12. Inthe preferred arrangement, the pump 10 is located in the reservoir 12with its intake open to the interior of the reservoir to receive liquidtherefrom. The pipe 24, connected with the discharge of the pump, 0::-tends upwardly from the reservoir 12 through the counter 32, through thebase 11 and to the top of the unit 10. Discharge openings 15 areprovided in the upper portion of the pipe 2 1 to discharge the liquidinto the space A so that it flows outwardly and downwardly around orover the body 14: between the body 14' and hood 15. The outlet openings43 receive the fluid from the bottom of the space A to conduct it to thedischarge pipe a l. In the preferred construction, the bottom 16 has aweb extending between substantially diametrically opposite points andthe opening" 13 are formed in the bottom 16 to communicate with a port51 formed through the web 50, as shown in Fig. 2. The pipe 44. connectsinto the web 50 to communicate with the port 51 at a point close to thecenter of the apparatus. The pipe 44L extendsdownwardly from the web 50through the base 11, counter 32 and into the reservoir 12. Theparticular construction just described is not only simple andinexpensive of manufacture, but also provides a very simple and directconnection between the space A and the discharge pipe 44:. In practice,the body 16 may be a cast member, having the web 50 cast in it, and theopenings 4-3 may be in the nature of holes drilled to communicatewiththe port 51 which may be a drilled hole, closed at its ends by plugs53. To clean this part of the apparatus, it is merely necessary toremove one of the plugs 53, thus making the various openings accessible.

The motor 41, provided for operating the pump 40, is preferably mountedin the base 11 by means of a suitable bracket 60. The drive shaft 61 ofthe motor extends downwardly through the counter 32 to connectv with thepump 10 in the reservoir 12. W i th this. arrangement, the motor iscompletely removed from the liquid being handled by the apparatus. Inpractice, means is provided for circulating air within the unit 10 andbase 11 to cool the parts, particularly the motor 411'. For thispurpose, a fan 65 is carried on the motor shaft 61 within the base 11and air openings 66 are provided in the "unit 10. With this arrangement,air circulates through the opening 66 and passes between the unit 10 andthe base 11 through openings 67, the circulation being forced by theaction 01 the fan 65. In practice, one or more fans may be mountedwithin the unit 10 adjacent the light bulbs 29 to be rotated by thecirculation of air in the unit. The fans 70 may have blades formed ofcolored light filtering material, and the fans may be mounted as shownin Fig. 3 so that light from the bulbs 29 filters through the blades inreaching parts of the body 14:. By

a ing the blades of various colors, a very attractive eiiect is obtainedin the display.

A dispensing faucet may be provided in connection with the reservoir 12so that the fluid can be dispensed. In the preferred arrangement, thedispensing faucet is incorporated in or formed with the parts abovedescribed; for instance, a dispensing pipe 81 extends laterally from thepipe 24 within the unit 10 to extend through the bottom 16 and theflange 22 of the member 17. The faucet 80 is applied to the outer end o1the pipe so that it is at the exterior of the unit 10. With thisarrangement, liquid being circulated through the pipe 24 by the pump 40may be withdrawn whenever desired by opening the faucet 80.

In practice, a beverage, for instance, orange juice, or the like, isfilled into the reservoir 12 and the motor 41 is put in operation. Thepump 40 receives the liquid from the reservoir 12 and circulates itthrough the pipe 24; to discharge into the top of the space A. The fluidentering the top of the space A circulates or flows around over the body14 and discharges through the openings 43 and port 51 into the pipe 4 1which returns it to the reservoir 12. It the pump is operated atsufiicient speed, the liquid will fill the space A between the body andhood and the liquid will be discharged through the openings 45 withconsiderable velocity so that it will cause a bubbling etl'ect in thespace A, making the display very attractive. While the liquid is thusbeing circulated so that it is visible through the hood 15, the bulbs 29may be energized so that light shines through the liquid, making thecirculation and bubbling of the liquid very attractive and conspicuous.

Having described only a typical preferred spaced over the body, a bottomsupporting the body and hood and having a drain opening, a liquidconduit extending upwardly to the top of the body to deliver liquid tothe space between the body and hood, and a valve controlled liquidoutlet connected with said conduit.

2. A device of the character described, including a body, a hood overthe body, a bottom for the hood and body, a support for the bottom, aliquid conduit extending vertically through the body, hood, bottom andsupport, and means whereby the body, hood, bottom and support are heldtogether as a unit on the conduit.

3. A device of the character described, in cluding a body, a hood overthe body, a bottom for the hood and body, a; support for the bottom, aliquid conduit extending vertically through the body, hood, bottom andsupport, and means whereby the body, hood, bottom and support are heldtogether as a unit on the conduit, the conduit having an opening todischarge liquid between the body and hood.

4. A device of the character described, including a body, a hood overthe body, a bottom for the hood and body, a support for the bottom, aliquid conduit extending vertically through the body, hood, bottom andsupport, and means whereby the body, hood, bottom and support are heldtogether as a unit on the conduit, said means including membersscrewthreaded on the conduit.

5. A device of the character described, including a dome like body, atransparent hood spaced over the body, an annular bottom supporting thebody and hood, and means for delivering liquid to the top 01 the body tocirculate between the body and hood, the bottom having a web extendingbetween spaced points there being a drain opening in the bottom andthrough the web.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 12th day of September, 1927.

I-IARTVIG P. SAUGMAN.

